Improvement in elevators



A. W CRA M.

Elevators.

Patented June i7, |873.

ATENE ALONZO W. CRAM, OF LITGHFIELD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELEVATORS.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 140,017, dated June 17, 1873; application filed May B, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownv that I, ALoNzo W. CRAM, of Litchfield, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Elevator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon making part of this specification, in which Figure-1 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view on the line a', Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view of the mouth-piece.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for raising and elevating grain, coal, sand, dirt, 85e., byinjecting jets of steam into a chamber or cylinder, and which connects an inlet or suction tube with a discharge or delivery tube. 'Ihe nature of my invention consists in inviting the inlet and discharge tubes of the elevator, by means of an annular steamchamber having a series of jets or cone-shaped nozzles. Within this steam-chamber is acentral openin g, which, in connection with the inlet and discharge tubes, forms a continuous straight passage for the material to travel through7 without angles or curves, and of a uniform, or nearly so, diameter throughout. The cone-shaped nozzles are so arranged that their jets of steam are discharged directly through the delivery-tube, and, from their arrangement, form, as it were, an annular jet, thesteam from which impinges against the wall of the tube in such manner as to leave,

directly through its center, and on a direct line with the inlet and discharge oriices of the tubes, a hollow cone-shaped vacuum-passage. The great advantage of this arrangement of j ets overa jet that discharges through the center of wall of the tube,leavin g an unobstructed elevat ing and discharge vacuum passage directly through the tube, all danger of the tubes clogging is securely guarded against.

The construction and operation of my invenlarged mouth of which facilitates the entrance Y of the material to be elevated, while the strainer cross-bars b b prevent the entrance of any hard substance sufficiently large to endanger the clogging of the tube. At the opposite or upper section of this tube A isthe steam-chamber, which consists of a tube, C, outer casing or jacket C', and which is so arranged, in connection with the tube C, as to leave a coneshaped steam passage or chamber, c, into which leads a circular series' of jets, a a. This chamber is formed of any suitable material, and connected to the tube A by any convenient means. To this chamber or passage c, by means of an opening, d, is connected a steamsupply pipe, l), which is fed from a boiler or any other suitable steam-vessel. E is the discharge or distributing tube, and is constructed of any suitable material. At its lower section is secured a hollow cap or cone -shaped cylinder or neck, E', and which fits over the -outer casiu g O of the steam-chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. At the upper section of this tube E is secured ashort tube or section, F, around the forward section of which is secured, by means of shoulders or bearings ff, a hollow cone-shaped tube or hood, F. This projects beyond and around the outer openingof the tube F, and is so arranged, in connection with the tube, as to provide a passage, f', and which tends greatly to break the force of the discharge, and to reduce the bulk ofthe material by providing, as it does, a vent for the steam.

Instead of steam being used, compressed air or other aeriform iiuid may be substituted, and which will accomplish, in an equally effective manner, the same advantageous results.

From the foregoing description the operation of my improved elevating apparatus will readily be understood. Its several features are constructed and connected as described 5 and the discharge-tube A is lowered into the hold ofthe vessel or other receptacle containing coal or grain, orin contact with thesan d or other material which it is desired to elevate, and there held or secured in such manner as to alloT of the free passage of the material into the tube A, the funnel-mouth end piece B facilitatin g the operation, while the strainer-bars b b prevent the entrance of any lumps or stones which are sufciently large to endanger the choking or clogging ofthe tubes. Steam, compressed air, or other like motor is now supplied through the pipe D, and soon fills the passage cof the steam-chamber,and, escaping through the nozzles a a, it is discharged directly into the delivery-tube E, as indicated by arrowsin Fig. 1 5 and, being thrown and impinging directl y against theinnerwall of the tube, forms, as it were, an annular jet, and which hollow cone or circle of steam produces a vacuum, which, being directly on a line with the center of the entrance and discharge tubes, elevates the material in the most rapid manner by the immense force of the atmospheric pressure thus produced. And it is then driven through the discharge tube by the jets of steam until it reaches the end of the neck F, when the force of the pressure is lessened by the steam or other aeriform liquid escaping through the vent-passage f', and which reduces its bulk and permits of the material being delivered in a more compact manner.

Besides the uses of an ordinary elevator, as

hereinbefore described, the device is admirably adapted for leveling roads and other engineering purposes.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The inlet or suction tube A,the dischargetube E, steam chamber c, formed as shown, and having a series of annular jets a a, and an opening, d, for the supply of steam, the whole being constructed, combined, and arranged to operate substantially as described.

2. In combination with the inlet tube A, steam-chamber having aserics of j ets, a a, arranged as shown, the discharge tube E end tube F and hood F', and vent-passage f the whole being constructed and connected so as to operate substantially as described.

3. The chamber o and jets a a, the tube A, having a funnel-shaped mouth, B, with strainer-bars b b, tube E, having end tube F, provided with a hood, F so secured as to leavea vent-passage,f, the wholebeingcombined and arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO W. CRAM.

Witnesses:

S. M. SMITH, H. M. LANE. 

